The present invention relates to body support surfaces and more particularly to edge structures for body support surfaces.
Suspension components, such as load bearing fabrics and molded elastomeric structures, are in wide spread use in seating and other body support applications. In some applications, the suspension components include elastomeric elements that allow the suspension component to resiliently flex under load. For example, a wide variety of seating products are commercially available that include an elastomeric load bearing fabric seat and/or back. Many of these elastomeric load bearing fabrics include elastomeric strands or filaments running in one direction and non-elastic fill yarns running in the opposite direction. In addition to load bearing fabrics, some seats include molded load bearing surfaces. Molded load bearing surface may include a wide range of surfaces that include one or more molded components that are configured to provide resilient support. For example, a molded load bearing surface may include a single sheet or film of molded material or a composite of different sheets or films of molded material. As another example, the molded load bearing surface may be include a plurality of separately manufactured components that are joined together in a manner that provides some resiliency.
One of the most important and complex aspects of a body support surface that incorporates a suspension component is the structure for joining the suspension component to the underlying support structure. In a typical application, a suspension component is supported by an underlying support structure that is configured to support the suspension component from its peripheral edges. The support structure is typically shaped so that it does not interfere with movement of the suspension component as it flexes under load. The tension in the suspension component and/or the weight of an occupant positioned on the suspension component can generate high loads. It can be particularly difficult to handle these loads when the suspension component is a load bearing fabric in which the individual strands of the fabric are susceptible to separation or damage. In many applications, the suspension component includes a carrier that allows the suspension component to be joined to the underlying support structure. For example, in seating applications, many load bearing fabric constructions include a carrier that is molded or otherwise joined to the periphery of the load bearing fabric. In most applications, the carrier is not rigid enough to support the load bearing fabric under load. In such applications, the carrier relies on structural support from the underlying support structure to bear the load. In other applications, the carrier may have sufficient strength to support the load bearing fabric. Regardless of whether the body support surface includes a rigid carrier or an underlying rigid support structure, the body support surface in a conventional application has a hard and inflexible edge. As a result, the body support surface can be uncomfortable when an occupant directly engages the hard edge.